Timer assembly for outside light

ABSTRACT

A timer assembly is designed to operate an outside light normally operated by a toggle switch inside a residence. The assembly includes a plug casing having first and second sets of plug blades, the second set of plug blades being designed to receive normal power for the timer within the casing and one side of the first set of plug blades being connected to an outlet side of the timer. The arrangement is such that a double receptacle wall plate incorporating the outside light toggle switch can have one of its electrical outlets rewired so that when the first set of blades of the plug casing are received therein, the toggle switch will be by-passed by the timer for the time interval of its operation to thereby automatically energize the outside light.

United States Patent 1 1 Vreeland 1 June 10, 1975 1 1 TIMER ASSEMBLY FOROUTSIDE LIGHT [76] Inventor: Robert L. Vreeland, 2531 Neptune Pl.,Calif. 93041 [22] Filed: Feb. 21, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 444,420

[52] US. Cl 307/141; 200/33 R; 174/53; 174/66; 240/2 SP; 315/360;339/123 [51] Int. Cl. H0lh 43/00 3,739,226 6/1973 Seiter et a1. 240/2 SPX 3,754,107 .8/1973 Balchunas 200/38 A 3,775,727 11/1973 Wise 339/156 RX Primary ExaminerJames R. Scott Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Pastoriza &Kelly [57] ABSTRACT A timer assembly is designed to operate an outsidelight normally operated by a toggle switch inside a residence. Theassembly includes a plug casing having first and second sets of plugblades, the second set of plug blades being designed to receive normalpower for the timer within the casing and one side of the first set ofplug blades being connected to an outlet side of the timer. Thearrangement is such that a double receptacle wall plate incorporatingthe outside light togl References Cited gle switch can have one of itselectrical outlets rewired UNITED STATES PATENTS so that when the firstset of blades of the plug casing 2,385,620 9/1945 Fleckenstein 240/2 SPux are received therein, the toggle Switch will be y- 2,696,607 12/1954Witkin 307 114 UX pa d y th im r for the time interval of its opera-2,749,428 6/1956 McCarthy.... 240/2 SP tion to thereby automaticallyenergize the outside 3,418,488 12/1968 Platzer, Jr i 307/114 light3,588,391 6/1971 Banathy et al 200/38 A X 3,603,807 9/1971 Erdmann307/141 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures II l GONAC 5 I? o QM Q) Outside ,1Llght ll TIMER ASSEMBLY FOR OUTSIDE LIGHT This invention relatesgenerally to timer circuits and more particularly to a timer assemblyfor operating an outisde light, such as a porch light from within aresidence.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Timer circuits for operating lights or otherappliances are well known in the art. Such timer circuits include atimer unit within a plug casing having an inlet connected to a set ofplug blades arranged to be inserted in a conventional live electricalsocket. The outlet of the timer in turn connects to a timer socket inthe plug casing for receiving the plug of an appliance or a table lampor the like. The timer is arranged to effect a con nection between theplug blades and the timer socket for a given time interval dependingupon its setting.

While timers of the foregoing type operate well for turning on and offinside lights and appliances, they cannot be easily used for operatingan outside light since normally such outside lights do not have a plugwhich can be conveniently plugged into the timer socket of the timerassembly as is the case with a table lamp. Rather, such outside lightssuch as a porch light are normally operated by a toggle switch withinthe house or residence.

While timers have been specifically designed for outside lights, theproblem is that exterior rewiring is necessary and further the timeritself is normally outside and thus subject to weather conditions andthe like unless an elaborate weatherproof housing is provided. Moreover,it is often inconvenient for a home owner to go outside each time hewants to set the timer.

Inside timers for outside lights have also been provided but they arenormally bulky and constitute permanent installations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Bearing the foregoing inmind, the present invention contemplates an improved timer assemblyconstruction particularly designed for operating outside lights fromwithin the residence and wherein the device is compact and portable andwherein only minor inside wire connections relating to the conventionaltoggle switch used to operate the outside light are necessary.

More particularly, the assembly comprises a plug casing having first andsecond sets of plug blades extending therefrom and spaced from eachother at a given distance. A timer is provided in the casing having aninlet and outlet, the inlet connecting to the second set of plug blades.Also included in the plug casing is an electrical timer socket exposedon the casing and connected to the outlet of the timer such that energyfrom the second set of plug blades is supplied to the timer scoketduring a predetermined time interval as set by the timer when the secondset of plug blades is plugged into a live electrical outlet.

Interconnecting means are provided in the plug casing connecting oneside of the first set of plug blades to the positive side of the timeroutlet and the other side of the first set of plug blades to thenegative input to the timer whereby the first set of blades can beconnected to bypass an outside light switch and thereby turn on anoutside light during the time interval.

With respect to the foregoing, the outside light switch normally takesthe form of a toggle switch incorporated in a wall plate including firstand second electrical outlets, the first and second outlets connectingacross positive and negative electrical power lines. The wiring in thiswall plate can very easily be rearranged by removing the negativeconnection to the negative power line from one side of the firstelectrical outlet and connecting it to that side of the toggle switchpassing to the outside light and connecting the former positiveconnection of the other side of the first electrical outlet to thenegative power line so that the first electrical outlet is in parallelwith the outside light.

By making the given distance between the first and second sets of plugblades in the timer plug casing equal to the distance between the firstand second electrical outlets in the wall plates, the first and secondsets of blades may be simultaneously received in the first and secondelectrical outlets. It will then be appreciated that during the timeinterval that the timer passes energy from the second set of blades tothe timer socket, the first set of blades effectively bypasses thetoggle switch so that the outside light is turned on during the timeinterval.

Since the toggle switch itself is not rewired in any way, it can beoperated in the usual manner to override the timer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of theinvention will be had by now referring to a preferred embodiment thereofas illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view partly schematic in form to showelectrical wiring of a conventional prior art wall plate incorporating atoggle switch for an outside light and first and second electricaloutlets;

FIG. 2 illustrates a wall plate with a toggle switch and first andsecond electrical outlets all identical to that of FIG. 1 with theexception of a minor rewiring of the components therein in accord with afeature of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of a plug casing incorporating-a timerin accord with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view partly schematic in form to show theinternal wiring of the plug casing and timer of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view partly in cross section illustrating the plugcasing positioned in the wall plate of FIG. 2 for operation; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the plug casing of FIG. 3 and a cooperatingreceptacle casing useful for converting the timer assembly into acondition for use as a conventional timer.

DETAILED DESCRITPION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG.1, there is shown a conventional prior art wall plate 10 found in mostresidential homes. This plate usually includes a toggle switch 11 andfirst and second electrical outlets l2 and 13. The electricalconnections to the available llS-volt A.C. -cycle power line arerendered visible in FIG. 1 although it will be understood that they arewithin the wall plate structure. Thus, the positive and negative powerlines 14 and 15 supply power to the electrical outlets l2 and 13. Thetoggle switch 11 in turn is arranged to connect the positive power line14 to lead 16 passing to one side of an outside light such as a porchlight 17, the other side connecting to the negative power line 15 asshown.

With the foregoing arrangement, the outside light is readily operated bythe toggle switch 11 while the electrical outlets 12 and 13 areavailable for any desired purpose.

In accord with the present invention and with reference to FIG. 2, thetimer assembly for an outside light includes the wall plate 10, toggleswitch 11 and first and second electrical outlets l2 and 13 allidentical to that described in FIG. 1 except for the following: Theelectrical connections are changed by providing a first interconnectingmeans 18a in the plate removing the connection to the negative powerline from one side of the first electrical outlet 12 and connecting itto the side of the toggle switch 11 connecting to the outside light 17.A second interconnecting means 1812 removes the other side of the firstelectrical outlet 12 from the positive power line 14 and connects it tothe negative power line 15. The wall plate 10 itself is provided with aguide hole or cavity 19 illustrated in the particular embodimentdisclosed as triangular in shape. Other than these modifications, thestructure is the same as in FIG. 1 as described. In this respect, thefirst and second electrical outlets 12 and 13 are indicated as spaced ata given distance d, and this distance is the same in the wall plates ofFIGS. 1 and 2.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that a homeowner can readilymodify his presently available wall plate structure 10 by simplyrewiring the first electrical outlet as described with the innerconnecting means 18a and 18b and then punching a small guide opening asshown at 19. Alternatively, if only a toggle switch is present, a wallplate structure as shown in FIG. 2 may simply be substituted.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the timer assembly cooperating with the wallplate described in FIG. 2, comprises a plug casing 20 having first andsecond sets of plug blades 21 and 22 extending therefrom and spaced fromeach other by the given spacing a'. The front face of the plug casing 20includes a timer dial 23 and the bottom includes a timer socket 24. Alsoincluded at the upper front portion of the casing is a pilot light 25.

Extending from the rear is a guide probe 26 of triangular cross sectionbetween the first and second sets of plug blades 21 and 22. Thearrangement is such that the guide probe 26 is closer to the first setof blades than to the second set as indicated by the distances d1 andd2.. By similarly spacing the guide hole 19 of FIG. 2 as indicated, itwill be evident that the plug casing 20 can only have its first andsecond sets of blades 21 and 22 received in the first and secondelectrical outlets 12 and 13 respectively. In other words, the probe 26will block insertion of the second set of plug blades 22 in the firstelectrical outlet 12 of FIG. 2 and the insertion of the first set ofplug blades 21 in the second electrical outlet 13 of FIG. 2. The lowerrear corners of the plug casing 20 may include small rubber feet 27 toaid in supporting the structure when the blades are received in theelectrical outlets.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the wiring of the various elements described inFIG. 3 is illustrated. The timer itself is shown at 28 connected to beset by time setting means in the form of circumferentially rotatablepointers P1 and P2 on the front dial 23. This timer further includesinlet leads 29 connected to the second set of plug blades 22 and outletleads 30 connected to the timer socket 24. The inlet and outlet leads 29and 30 connect to a switch means in the form of a double pole switch s1,s2 connected to be closed by pointer P1 and opened by pointer P2 whenthe timer clock drive in the timer successively engages the pointers todefine the set time interval. With these connections, it will be evidentthat when the plug casing is inserted in the wall plate 10 of FIG. 2,electrical power will be provided from the electrical outlet 13 to thesecond set of plug blades 22 thereby energizing the timer so that thetimer socket 24 will be energized through the switch s1, s2 for thegiven time interval, depending upon the setting of the timer.

Further wiring within the plug casing 20 includes leads 31 and 32connecting the pilot light 25 in parallel with the timer socket 24 sothat whenever the timer socket is energized, by closure of switch s1, s2the pilot light 25 will be energized.

A third interconnecting means 33a in the plug casing connects thepositive side of the first set of plug blades 21 by way of the line 31to the postive side of the outlet of the timer connecting to the timersocket 24. A fourth interconnecting means 33b connects the negative sideof the first set of plug blades 21 to the negative plug blade of thesecond set of plug blades 22.

It will now be appreciated from the foregoing that when the plug casing20 of FIG. 4 is turned over and the first set of plug blades 21 insertedinto the first electrical outlet 12 of the wall plate 10 of FIG. 2 andthe second set of plug blades 22 inserted in the second electricaloutlet 13 the negative of the blades 21 connects to the negative line 15via 18b and the positive of the blades 21 connects to the outside lightlead 16 via 18a. It will further be appreciated that when the timersocket 24 is energized during a given time interval set into the timer,power on the lead 14 of FIG. 2 will pass via the now closed timer switchs2 and lead 31 to the plus side of the first set of blades 21 to connectto the plus side of the first electrical socket 12 thereby connecting tothe outside light via lead 16 so that the outside light is energized bythe timer.

Essentially, the timer completes a circuit across the first set of plugblades 21 of FIG. 4 via lead 18b in FIG. 2 when the plugs 21 and 22 areturned over and received in outlets 12 and 13 which in turn bypasses thetoggle switch 11 by way of the first electrical outlet 12.

It will be noted that the toggle switch 11 may be operated in aconventional manner to energize the outside light whether or not thetimer is operating. Further it will be noted that in the absence of theplug casing, the outlet 12 is energized whenver the toggle switch isturned on so that a pilot light could be inserted in this outlet toindicate when the outside light is on.

FIG. 5 illustrates in side view and in partial cross section the plugcasing 20 inserted into the modified wall plate 10 wherein it will benoted that the small rubber feet 27 stabilize the unit in the positionshown. The same numerals in FIG. 5 designate correspondingly identifiedcomponents in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring now to FIG. 6 there is shown the plug casing 20 as describedin FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 together with a cooperating plug receptacle casing34. The casing 34 includes first and second electrical sockets 35 and 36spaced by the heretofore referred-to given distance d. The firstelectrical socket 35 constitutes a dummy socket while the secondelectrical socket 36 connects directly to a set of extending plug blades37. A guide hole 38 is positioned to receive the guide probe 26 andsmall cavities 39 are provided to receive the feet 27 so that when thefirst and second sets of plug blades 21 and 22 are received in the firstand second electrical sockets 3S and 36, a compact engagement isassured. Additional feet 40 are-provided on the plug-receptacle casingas shown.

The purpose for the plug receptacle casing 34 is to enable the timer inthe plug casing 20'to be used as a conventional timer. Thus, by pluggingin the first and second set of plug blades 21 and 22 into the respectiveelectrical sockets 35 and 36 in the plug receptacle casing 34, theextending set of plug blades 37 may be connected into any conventionallive electrical outlet to thereby energize the second set of plug blades22 in the plug casing 20 and enable operation of the timer in aconventional manner, any suitable appliance to be operated during agiven time interval being plugged into the timer socket 24. Without theprovision of the plug receptacle 34, the first set of plug blades 21 andguide probe 26 would interfere with insertion of the second set of plugblades 22 of the plug casing 20 in a single live electrical outletconventional socket.

From the foregoing description, it will thus be evident that the presentinvention has provided a very simple and convenient timer assemblyparticularly well adapted for cooperation with normally available wallplates incorporating a toggle switch and first and second electricaloutlets or with such a specially designed wall plate which can besubstituted for a toggle switch alone. As described, a minimummodification of the presently available wall plate wiring and wall plateitself is necessary. Moreover, by the provision of the plug receptacle34 as described in FIG. 6, the timer assembly itself retains all theversatility of a conventional timer. Outside lights can now be timed bya portable mechanism operable from within the residence and thus theinconvenience of permanent inside installations or the rewiring outsidecircuits and having to go outside to operate an outside timer iseliminated.

What is claimed is:

l. A timer assembly for an outside light comprising, in combination:

a. a wall plate including a toggle switch for turning said outside lighton and off and first and second electrical outlets spaced a givendistance from each other, said first and second electrical outletsnormally connecting to positive and negative electrical power lines;

b. first interconnecting means in said wall plate removing theconnection to the negative power line from one side of the firstelectrical outlet and connecting it to the side of the toggle switchconnecting to the outside light, and second interconnecting meansremoving the other side of the first electrical outlet from the positivepower line and connecting it to the negative power line so that saidfirst electrical outlet is in parallel with the outside light;

c. a plug casing having first and second sets of plug blades extendingtherefrom and spaced from each other by said given distance, a timer insaid casing having inlet and oulet leads, the inlet leads connecting tothe second set of plug blades, and an electrical timer socket exposed onsaid casing connected to the outlet leads said timer including switchmeans for connecting the inlet leads to the outlet leads and timesetting means connected to the switch means to close the switch meanssuch that energy from said second set of plug blades is supplied to saidtimer socket during a predetermined time interval as set by said timesetting means when said second set of plug blades is plugged into saidsecond electrical outlet in said wall plate to energize the timer; and

d. third interconnecting means in said plug casing connecting to thepositive side of the outlet leads of the timer connecting to the timersocket, and a fourth interconnecting means connecting the negative sideof said first set of plug blades to the negative plug blade of thesecond set of plug blades; said first set of plug blades being receivedin said first electrical outlet in said wall plate and said second setof plug blades being received in said second electrical outlet in saidwall plate, whereby said outside light is automatically turned on forsaid predetermined time interval by said timer.

2. A timer assembly according to claim 1, in which said plug casingincludes a pilot light connected in parallel with said timer socket toprovide a visual indication when said outside light is on.

3. a timer assembly according to claim 1, in which said wall plateincludes a guide hole between said first and second electrical outletspositioned closer to one than the other, said plug casing including aguide probe extending from between said first and second sets of plugblades positioned closer to one than the other in a manner correspondingto the positioning of said guide hole such that said guide probe canonly be received in said guide hole when said first set of blades isreceived in said first electrical outlet and said second set of bladesis received in said second electrical outlet, said guide probe blockinginsertion of said second set of plug blades into said first electricaloutlet and blocking insertion of said first set of plug blades into saidsecond electrical outlet.

4. A timer assembly comprising, in combination:

a. a plug casing having first and second sets of plug blades extendingtherefrom and spaced from each other at a given distance;

b. a timer in said casing having inlet leads and outlet leads, the inletleads connecting to the second set of plug blades;

c. an electrical timer socket exposed on said casing connected to saidoutlet leads, said timer having switch means connected between saidinlet and outlet leads and time setting means connected to the switchmeans to close the switch means such that energy from said second set ofplug blades is supplied to said timer socket during a predetermined timeinterval as set by said time setting means when said second set of plugblades is plugged into a live electrical outlet; and

interconnecting means connecting one side of said first set of plugblades to one of said timer outlet leads whereby said first set ofblades can be connected in parallel with an outside light switch andthereby turn on an outside light during said time interval.

5. A timer assembly according to claim 4, including a plug receptaclecasing, having first and second electrical sockets spaced from eachother by said given distance for receiving respectively said first andsecond sets of blades on said plug casing, the first electrical socketconstituting an open circuited dummy socket; and a set of plug bladesextending from said receptacle casing and electrically connected to saidsecond electrical socket whereby said assembly may be plugged into aconventional electrical outlet and said timer operated in a conventionalmanner 6. A timer assembly according to claim 4, in which said plugcasing includes a pilot light connected in parallel with said outputleads to said timer socket to provide a visual indication when saidoutside light is on.

7. A timer assembly according to claim in which said receptacle casingincludes a guide hole between said first and second electrical socketspositioned closer to one than the other, said plug casing including aguide probe extending from between said first and second sets of plugblades positioned closer to one of them than the other in a mannercorresponding to the positioning of said guide hole such that said guideprobe can only be received in said guide hole when said first set ofblades is received in said first electrical socket and said second setof blades is received in said second electrical socket, said guide probeblocking insertion of said second set of plug blades into said firstelectrical socket and blocking insertion of said first set of plugblades into said second electrical socket.

1. A timer assembly for an outside light comprising, in combination: a.a wall plate including a toggle switch for turning said outside light onand off and first and second electrical outlets spaced a given distancefrom each other, said first and second electrical outlets normallyconnecting to positive and negative electrical power lines; b. firstinterconnecting means in said wall plate removing the connection to thenegative power line from one side of the first electrical outlet andconnecting it to the side of the toggle switch connecting to the outsidelight, and second interconnecting means removing the other side of thefirst electrical outlet from the positive power line and connecting itto the negative power line so that said first electrical outlet is inparallel with the outside light; c. a plug casing having first andsecond sets of plug blades extending therefrom and spaced from eachother by said given distance, a timer in said casing having inlet andoulet leads, the inlet leads connecting to the second set of plugblades, and an electrical timer socket exposed on said casing connectedto the outlet leads said timer including switch means for connecting theinlet leads to the outlet leads and time setting means connected to theswitch means to close the switch means such that energy from said secondset of plug blades is supplied to said timer socket during apredetermined time interval as set by said time setting means when saidsecond set of plug blades is plugged into said second electrical outletin said wall plate to energize the timer; and d. third interconnectingmeans in said plug casing connecting to the positive side of the outletleads of the timer connecting to the timer socket, and a fourthinterconnecting means connecting the negative side of said first set ofplug blades to the negative plug blade of the second set of plug blades;said first set of plug blades being received in said first electricaloutlet in said wall plate and said second set of plug blades beingreceived in said second electrical outlet in said wall plate, wherebysaid outside light is automatically turned on for said predeterminedtime interval by said timer.
 2. A timer assembly according to claim 1,in which said plug casing includes a pilot light connected in parallelwith said timer socket to provide a visual indication when said outsidelight is on.
 3. a timer assembly according to claim 1, in which saidwall plate includes a guide hole between said first and secondelectrical outlets positioned closer to one than the other, said plugcasing including a guide probe extending from between said first andsecond sets of plug blades positioned closer to one than the other in amanner corresponding to the positioning of said guide hole such thatsaid guide probe can only be received in said guide hole when said firstset of blades is received in said first electrical outlet and saidsecond set of blades is received in said second electrical outlet, saidguide probe blocking insertion of said second set of plug blades intosaid first electrical outlet and blocking insertion of said first set ofplug blades into said second electrical outlet.
 4. A timer assemblycomprising, in combination: a. a plug casing having first and secondsets of plug blades extending therefrom and spaced from each other at agiven distance; b. a timer in said casing having inlet leads and outletleads, the inlet leads connecting to the second set of plug blades; c.an electrical timer socket exposed on said casing connected to saidoutlet leads, said timer having switch means connected between saidinlet and outlet leads and time setting means connected to the switchmeans to close the switch means such that energy from said second set ofplug blades is supplied to said timer socket during a predetermined timeinterval as set by said time setting means when said second set of plugblades is plugged into a live electrical outlet; and d. interconnectingmeans connecting one side of said first set of plug blades to one ofsaid timer outlet leads whereby said first set of blades can beconnected in parallel with an outside light switch and thereby turn onan outside light during said time interval.
 5. A timer assemblyaccording to claim 4, including a plug receptacle casing, having firstand second electrical sockets spaced from each other by said givendistance for receiving respectively said first and second sets of bladeson said plug casing, the first electrical socket constituting an opencircuited dummy socket; and a set of plug blades extending from saidreceptacle casing and electrically connected to said second electricalsocket whereby said assembly may be plugged into a conventionalelectrical outlet and said timer operated in a conventional manner.
 6. Atimer assembly according to claim 4, in which said plug casing includesa pilot light connected in parallel with said output leads to said timersocket to provide a visual indication when said outside light is on. 7.A timer assembly according to claim 5 in which said receptacle casingincludes a guide hole between said first and second electrical socketspositioned closer to one than the other, said plug casing including aguide probe extending from between said first and second sets of plugblades positioned closer to one of them than the other in a mannercorresponding to the positioning of said guide hole such that said guideprobe can only be received in said guide hole when said first set ofblades is received in said first electrical socket and said second setof blades is received in said second electrical socket, said guide probeblocking insertion of said second set of plug blades into said firstelectrical socket and blocking insertion of said first set of plugblades into said second electrical socket.